Her Choice
by Stefanotis
Summary: He had his hands clasped on the table and she wrapped her arms around herself. "How many times?" she asked. He knew what she was referring to. He didn't have to think about the question twice. One-shot


It was all his fault.

The reason why they were in this place together.

He got cocky, thought he wasn't going to get caught, thought she was too naive, and thought that she wouldn't ever make that decision when it came to them.

Well she made the decision.

And he was wrong about her.

Dick could sense something was wrong the minute he stepped through their apartment door. Everything was quiet. Everything was off.

There was no sound and he panicked.

Their clothes were gone, all packed and leaving no sign of femininity in their home. The framed pictures that once adorned their walls and surfaces were nowhere to be found, leaving no sign of a family.

A big knot in his throat formed when he saw three object on their dresser.

Her wedding banner, a note, and a picture.

'I want a divorce.'

Only four words and each one stabbed him in the heart as he read them.

Then he picked up the picture.

And he knew that she was stabbed ten times harder by him.

He drove to Gotham, sped through traffic, and carelessly parked his bike in the batcave.

Bruce gave him the look of a disappointed parent and then held his eldest son as he weeped. He'd help his son in any way that he can but deep down, even Batman knew that the man in front of him was going to get a big reality check.

He knew she was in Tamaran and took their baby there too. He had contacted the palace, his royal majesty answered, and his glare could burn holes through the screen. He was told that she refused to speak to him. That she needed a little bit of time before confronting their current conflict.

Dick let his head fall before ending the call.

He wouldn't be able to take this all back.

A couple weeks later and she finally met up with him.

His heart froze for a few seconds when he received the email. She would be at the watchtower and would be staying there for a few days and she would also be bringing Mar'i.

He wasn't sure what to expect when he got there. He felt like he had ten eyes watching him and felt uneasy as he walked through the watchtower in his Nightwing suit.

She opened the door to her room and he felt sick.

Throughout their entire relationship, from friendship to marriage, he could read her emotions but looking at her, he saw nothing.

"Hi" he told her and took off his mask.

She didn't look at him.

"You can spend a little time with Mar'i now" she said. "Her babysitter will be here shortly."

"Babysitter?" he asked.

She still didn't look at him, just gave him a nod. "I do not wish to talk about...I do not want Mar'i in here when we speak."

He gave her a nod before going over to the crib. His baby. Gurgling and playing with her toy.

"Hi baby" he cooed as he reached for her.

Her eyes widened when she squealed when she noticed her father.

"I know" he said to her. "Daddy missed you too."

Batman came knocking on the door ten minutes later and Dick was surprised to see him but didn't complain. He kissed his daughter on the head and gave her to her grandfather.

Now he felt like he was going to throw up again.

It was just him and her now.

No one else.

They sat across from each other at the mini table in the corner of the room. He had his hands clasped on the table and she wrapped her arms around herself.

"How many times?" she asked.

He knew what she was referring to. He didn't have to think about the question twice.

"Um, I don't know exactly how many times" he said nervously.

"Then when did it start?"

"A month after Mar'i was born."

"Who is she?"

"Some girl I met at the bar."

"When did you start going to the bar?"

"After my patrols" he admitted. "Sometimes I wouldn't even go on patrols and head straight there."

A sharp pain went through her and she looked down.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"That's not a good enough answer."

He sighed and closed his eyes before giving her the truth. "I didn't think I'd get caught...but you caught me."

Another sharp pain but she concealed it.

"I did not catch you in the act" she said.

"Then-

"Your girlfriend ran into me at the grocery store."

"Oh Star, I didn't-

"No!" she yelled. "Do not call me that."

He blinked at her, afraid that if he said anything else, she'd make him leave.

"I want a divorce" she said.

That's when he broke.

"Please" he begged.

"I will not do this" she said, her own voice cracking. "I will not do this Richard."

Tears fell down his cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of it."

"We can make this easy" she told him.

"What about Mar'i?" he asked. "She needs a mom and a dad. Together."

"I will not keep her from you" she said. "I will agree to give you half of the custody-

"No" he cried quietly.

He got up and crawled over to her, his arms around her waist as he weeped in her lap. "Please" he mumbled. "I fucked up but we can work it all out. I'm sorry, please just forgive me."

Her own tears fell on him. "I cannot."

"Don't give up on me" he told her.

She pried him off of her. "Richard, you already gave up on me."

He looked up at her and wiped his eyes.

"You gave up on this marriage the minute you touched that woman" she continued.

He wasn't going to get her back.

He was wrong about her.

She wasn't naive.

She was strong for making this choice.


End file.
